Temple Square

In the last few years we have tried to make it to temple square each year to look at the lights and I don't know if it actually has anything to do with Jeremy proposing to me at Temple Square in front of the fountain that is in between the temple and the South Visiting Center.

It was December 4, 1999 and Jeremy wanted to take me to see Christmas Lights. So we headed to temple square. Enjoying the cold and looking at the lights that surrounded the temple, I was standing on the rim of the fountain when I asked Jeremy, "If you could do anything in this moment, what would it be?" Jeremy's reply was, "Well I have already kissed you so I guess it would be to ask you to marry me." Frozen by the question that was asked, Jeremy the said, "Well..." I turned and looked at him and in btween us was a ring. It took me a few moments to answer and in the end I said... Well anyone reading this should know... YES.

Since then we have tried to make to see the lights every year and last year we missed the lights due to us having a 7 month old and me being pregnant.

Lauren and her family decided to come and join us.

Here are the crazy twins, bundled up.

What a pretty lit up tree.

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Lauren and I

Jeremy and Jack

Look at the pretty lights

Lindsay and Abi

In the end it was fun, we even met up with Cristy and Landon and their kids - Riley, Zack & Kaymbria. Thanks to everyone who was able to come - it was fun.

Thanksgiving 2010

Origin of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. While it may have been religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.[1] It is sometimes casually referred to as Turkey Day.

In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is Columbus Day in the United States. In the United States, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Day is also celebrated in Leiden, in the Netherlands. A different holiday which uses the same name is celebrated at a similar time of year in the island of Grenada.
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A talk published 11/1989 -

To say thanks is such a simple thing, but, oh, the message that it conveys.

Thanks is an expression of gratitude, and gratitude is a mark of greatness. There never was a great person who did not express appreciation or give thanks.The scriptures teach us many unforgettable lessons of thanksgiving.

The Savior of mankind - the greatest of all - expressed His thanks on many occasions. A few such references in the New Testament include:

- When Jesus fed the multitude, He took seven loaves and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them. . . . (Mark 8:6.) (Italics added.)

- Jesus thanked His Father for revealing the gospel truths to the twelve disciples. (Matt. 11:25.)

- Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He "lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always. . . ." (John 11: 41-42.)

- When Jesus instituted the sacrament, He first offered thanks before passing the sacred emblems. "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them. . . . (Luke 22:19.) And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it." (Mark 14:23.)

We, too, must give thanks if we are to show our appreciation and gratitude to our Father in Heaven. At this time of the year when we pause in a national day of thanksgiving, it is an appropriate time to express our thanks and gratitude for the many blessings we enjoy. Indeed, they are bounteous, as we recognize the hand of the Lord in His goodness to us.
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I can't begin to express all of the things I am grateful this Thanksgiving.

First I would have to be greatful for my husband Jeremy. He has stood by me through my ups and downs, my happiness and sadness. Whenever I would try to pull away he would pull me closer and I thank him for that.

Second my two very special children. For eight years I came to the terms that we would never have children and our family would just consist of our dogs Hally, Sparky and Daisy. But in 2009 a mother who is so brave decided to give her child a huge blessing by placing him for adoption and letting him join our family. We love Jack dearly and I am so grateful for him. However I knew he couldn't be by himself and 8 months later we met his sister Abigail. I am so grateful that I am able to experiences two different sides of miracles and love to be able to experience an adoption and to be pregnant and carry a healthy baby.

Third I am grateful for my family and friends. Although at times we might have different views or opinions its nice to still get together and enjoy each others company.

Fourth I love my parents. To have them teach me what they know, to help me grow and become to what I think a good grown up and parent.

Last I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. I know that he loves me and I know that each of us have different roads and journeys we have to take to make ourselves stronger. He is there for me even when I feel a lone.
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This year for Thanksgiving it was going to be small. Landon and Cristy headed to Idaho, Logan and Brooke went to California - so it then left Jeremy, Mom and Me (and of course our kids)

This year we decided to keep it simple so we did a cider brined apple glazed turkey, sausage stuffing, sweet potatoes, maple roasted veggies, garlic mash potatoes, cranberries and last but not least pumpkin pie

Its so nice to already have a little helper

The table was set even before noon

Dinner was ready and served by 3:15 - which if you plan for 2 you are always going to eat an hour after the set time, it was well worth the wait. The clean up actually wasn't so bad either, by not having a huge gathering it only took a few minutes of gathering the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. And last but not least after eating and cleaning we made our way to the family room plopped ourselves on the couch and looked through the newspaper at all of the adds for black friday.

I think in the end we were a worn out bunch.

Oh Christmas Tree!

With the first snow storm coming in, I felt it was time to put up our tree. Every year christmas always goes by way too fast and I normally put up our tree after Thanksgiving, but this year why wait.

So in honor of all of our christmas trees this year here are some fun facts -

The use of evergreen trees to celebrate the winter season occurred before the birth of Christ.
The first decorated Christmas was in Riga, Latvia in 1510.
The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.
Nineteenth century Americans cut their trees in nearby forests.
Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United states since about 1850. Until fairly recently, all Christmas trees came from the forest.
The first Christmas tree retail lot in the United States was started in 1851 in New York by Mark Carr.
In 1900, large stores started to erect big illuminated Christmas trees.